Strategyking92

User Score
8.0

Presentation - 8.0
Gameplay - 8.0
Value - 7.0

Bionic Commando is another one of those series reboots/sequels that have been happening the past couple years. The developer, GRIN, had a critical and commercial success with their Remake of the original Bionic Commando last year, called Bionic Commando: Rearmed.

As a follow up to that game, you star as the dreadlock rockin' Nathan Spencer, the hero from the first BC, set tens years after the events then. Since that time he and his fellow bionic soldiers have been betrayed by the government and have been thrown into prisons or worse. I think it was called "the purge" or something. Spencer, however, gets a reprieve when "super Joe", an old superior, bails him out because of a new threat. A Bionic terrorist group nukes a city and spencer is needed to go in and retreive a weapon before the enemy can, naturally. Spencer is reluctant, but goes once he finds out he will get information about his missing wife in return.

Yes, you are the badass tool with the dreads.

This is where the game hits a snag.

The city in which half the game takes place is a colorless place. Not only that, but there is blue colored "radiation" that keeps you in the area, so the game can feel very cramped at times, but it doesn't limit the fun of swinging around regardless. The enemies in the game range from 1. reg. easy kills 2. annoying mechs. If I would have to guess, I would say you deal with about 60 regular enemies and 3 mechs in a larger level. (it's just a guess though)

Combat is pretty simple though. To get different weapons, find weapon drops in the level and collect that weapon. You can only have 1 weapon along with your pistol, but it only adds depth since you have to judge what weapon you'll need more. You can also throw objects later on, and even use your claw to bring yourself to enemy soldiers and kick them in the face. Strangly it felt like something you would do in sonic adventure. I don't know, you'll have to try it yourself. Enemy mechs later on break your god streak with your early soldier enemies and make you actually think. When you are going up against two of them it can be a hastle. Thankfully your health bar always recharges and you can just hang off a cliff and wait until you are ready again.

Along the way you can hack enemy computer terminals which is necessary to the mission and they also give you interesting side info if you choose to read enough. But to do this, you have to beat up a few enemies that protect them.

I believe I can fly.. I believe I can touch the sky... You probably can't, but oh well.

If you are fortunate enough to still be interested after the city parts of the game, you will find a beauty that takes full advantage of the games' graphical prowess. Green parks, a museum, a dock, and eventually a giant crab-mech thing. The gameplay even improves thanks to a larger amount of enemies, more things to throw, and some cool bosses. Just more variety, really. The progressing story is also a big boost, because some suprising revealations happen.

Bionic Commando also has a multiplayer component which I believe will be derelict in a matter of months. That's not to say it isn't great fun though. Team deathmatch was by far the most fun for me, as you can do team tactics and hit and runs on the enemy... While swinging. Killing your opponent usually comes down to who has the better weapon for that situation at the time. You can also grab an enemy and kick them off the map, which is pretty funny because usually that person doesn't know what just happened. I couldn't get a single match of CTF going, so that's why I have to question the future of the online community for this game

Mechanical fist = mechanical fist.

soldiers = screwed

Overall Bionic Commando is a worthy single player experience if you stick it out to the end, and the multiplayer is pretty cool with the swinging mechanic. However, any replayability is questionable with the slow beginning of the game, and the uncertain future of the multiplayer community.